Too Tired to Care
by Weskette
Summary: It's the morning after Dale's death that Andrea makes a huge decision. She can no longer stay at the farm.


**The title is based off of Stone Sour's_ ZZyzx_. Stone Sour is my favorite band and while listening, I got this little plot stuck in my mind. It's short, but I'm still going to post it.**

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><p><strong>Too Tired to Care<strong>

_"Tell me I should stick around for you,_  
><em>Tell me I could have it all,<em>  
><em>I'm still too tired to care and I gotta go."<em>  
><em>- Zzyzx, Stone Sour<em>

Andrea shoved her last shirt into her bag. The inside of her tent way now empty. Outside of it, her sleeping bag was rolled up, held that way with an over-stretched rubberband. She tossed her bag down besides it and started pulling up the stakes of the tent.

She felt emotionless after the loss of someone that could only be described as a father to her. She could still hear the gunshot that had sounded as Daryl fired into Dale's skull, ending the older man's pain. She was thankful for that. Thankful she didn't have to do it herself and that it was over quickly. She had been the one to wrap his body in a sheet and place it in the grave that had been dug. Another thing Daryl did. God, sometimes she wondered where she'd be if he wasn't there.

Suddenly, she was aware of eyes on her back. She glanced back to see Daryl, leaning on the side of his truck, a look that could be described as anything but happy showed on his face.

"Plannin' on goin' somewhere?" he asked. She nodded. "Where's that?"

"Anywhere but here," she answered, voice cracking from sadness.

"How you gonna do that?" His voice was quiet, accusing.

They had something. There was something going on between them that was more than just casual sex or friendship, but niether had addressed it as of yet. Niether had taken up residence in the other's tent(though Andrea found herself waking up in his more often than her own) or finalized it.

"Truthfully, Daryl... I don't know."

He scowled. "Why are ya' goin'?"

"Dale was probably one of the only things keeping me here," she replied softly, pulling the supports out of the tent. He was silent, a little bit of anger rising in his chest.

"I'm here," he finally said, a bit of venom behind his words.

"I know... But... You'll do better without me," she admitted. "If you get attachted, you'll try to protect me. And then you'll get hurt trying to keep me from getting hurt and I'm... I'm not okay with that."  
>He was suddenly besides her, grabbing her wrist roughly and pulling her towards him. "I don't fuckin' care about that! I'd rather you stay and I get hurt than you leave an' I not know where you are!"<p>

She sighed, frowning. "But I can't stay here. Like Dale said, like you said. This group is broken."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close and resting his cheek on hers. They stayed that way for a long moment. "Then I'm goin' with you," he whispered into her ear. She hugged him tightly.

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><p>The next morning, everyone knew of Andrea and Daryl's imminent departure. A sad silence prevailed over the farm. That would be two more would be lost soon.<p>

Carol approached Daryl as he tossed his belongings into the back of his truck, besides his motorcycle. "Daryl?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he replied gruffly, glancing back at her as he secured his bike's place.

"Can I go with you two?" She held herself timidly, arms crossed over her chest.

He shrugged. "Probably. I gotta ask Andrea first."

At the same time, Andrea was being approached by Maggie and Glenn. She was sweeping out the kitchen, doing one last chore before she left. She looked up when the couple entered, Glenn nervously tapping his fingers on the counter. Maggie touched his arm lightly to get him to stop.

"What?" Andrea asked. "Want something?"

"Well, yeah," Glenn spoke, fighting the urge to resume tapping on the countertop.

"Then speak."

Maggie took over then. "We want to go with you."

Andrea paused, looking up. "I don't know if we'll have room in the truck."

"Well, Glenn said he and I could find a car on the high way. Take one of the abandoned ones," the brunette explained.

"You're sure you want to? What about Beth? And Patricia and Hershal?" Andrea asked, setting the broom down. "I'm not trying to dissuade you, I just want you to think about it. I mean, you're usually not that friendly with me, either."

Maggie shook her head. "Glenn and I were talking and we thought we'd be better off away from the farm. There's nothing left here."

Andrea shrugged. "I can ask Daryl, if you'd like."

"Please do."

They decided not to leave that night. There was something they both had to talk about first. So, laying in Daryl's tent, they discussed it. "Carol asked if she could come with us," Daryl spoke. He was lying back, one arm as a pillow, the other wrapped around her shoulders. She was turned towards him, a hand loosely clutched to the front of his sleeveless shirt.

"Really?" She was a little surprised. "I had Maggie and Glenn ask the same thing earlier when I was sweeping. And then Beth at lunch. And then T-Dog about an hour ago."

"Damn..." he mumbled. "Everyone went t' you."

She shrugged. "I'm not as intimidating as you." She snuggled down against him. "So what're we going to do?"

"Well, we're gonna haveta get an extra car or two if they're all goin'."

"So they are? We're gonna let them?"

"Don't see why not. It's not like Lori or Shane 're the ones comin'. They'd only weigh us down," he reasoned. "But T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie... They'd be fine."

She nodded. "We'll tell them in the morning. While they're packing, you and I can head out to find a car and bring it back for them. Then we can leave right after lunch."

"Sounds like a plan," he mumbled. He rolled over so he was pinning her. As he leaned in for a kiss, he spoke. "I'm glad we're leavin' t'gether." He kissed her, exploring her mouth with his tongue, slowly moving down to her neck.

"Mmm... Me too..."

The next day was somber. News had spread once again. Over half the group, leaving. It was the snowball effect; first, Andrea, then Daryl, then Carol, Maggie, Glenn, T-Dog, Beth. Andrea and Daryl had gone out and found a functional blue Suburu Forrester. They had driven it back to camp for the others to drive. It even had three quarters of the tank full.

"You seven are really leaving?" Lori asked, arms crossed. Andrea nodded. The pregnant woman shook her head angrily. "You're putting us all at risk!"

"Risk for what? Lack of an audience for your drama?" the blonde muttered, rolling her eyes.

Lori huffed and turned away. Rick, Hershal and Shane watched as the seven put their belongings into the assorted vehicles. Maggie and Beth were both crying as they hugged Patricia, Jimmy and Hershal good-bye. Daryl climbed into the driver's seat of his truck. Andrea had already gotten into the passenger's seat.

Rick stepped forward. "You guys be careful out there."

"We will."

Rick matched eyes with the hunter. "You protect them, Daryl."

He nodded and started up the car, pulling down the drive. T-Dog followed in the suburu.

"We're really doing this?" Andrea asked quietly, taking her man's hand.

"Not havin' second thoughts, are ya'?"

"Never."


End file.
